This is the story of Merv Neal, CEO of Laughter Yoga Australia. A team of medical experts from the Melbourne Royal hospital sent him home to die on July 2nd, 2002, with – at best – a 1 week life expectancy because he had a confirmed “total failure of his immune system” (Maturation Arrest + Aplastic Anemia – These are two big problems combined and they are both deadly). The diagnosis was correct. Their conclusion was logical. But Merv Neal did not want to die that easily, and he didn’t.

This video briefly explains what happened. He laughed a lot and “somehow” re-started his immune system within 2 months. His full recovery took 7 months. He’s still laughing and you can contact him through http://www.laughteryoga-australia.org/.

While nothing short of miraculous, his recovery from a death-threatening condition that current medical science did not know how to fix is not unique. To mind comes the story of Norman Cousin who experienced a similar problem in 1964 (he died in 1991), and also (although unrelated to laughter) that of Morris Goodman (see video below).

It just highlights the potentially unlimited power a positive attitude.